Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 the song remains the same

When the firstGuardians of the Galaxyfilm burst onto the screen in 2014, it was a refreshingbubblegum-colouredblockbuster powered by irreverence, swagger and a killer soundtrack.

Just as thesuperherogenre was beginning to calcify into stoic nonsense helloAge ofUltron along came a band of interstellar outlaws based on a little-read comic, under the command of director JamesGunn.

Gunnand co-writer NicolePerlmanintroduced us to Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, a swashbuckling spacethiefwho joinedforces with a band of outsiders to save the universe. The bad guys were larger than life, the action was ludicrous and complemented by great casting: the wise-cracking Chris Pratt,the unexpectedly hilarious DaveBautistaand ZoeSaldanaas the single-mindedGamora.

So where do you go for a sequel? Instead of mixing up theplaylist, director JamesGunngives us the greatest hits. A dumberDrax. AsmirkingStar-Lord. AsnarkierRocket. Et cetera.

Theunderwhelmingsequelcould be seen as theinevitable result of the way theMarvel movie machine works. Part of how the Marvel Cinematic Universe distinguishes itself isby recruiting interesting independent voices as directors:

• The comedy team of theRussobrothers, who directed the last Captain America film.
• RyanCoogerwent from the street-level boxing dramaCreedto helm the upcomingBlack Pantherfilm.
• Before he landed the Guardians, director JamesGunnwas a scrappy horror director best known for films such asSlither.

Solo screenwriter anddullededges

It's worth noting Gunn co-wrote the first Guardians film with screenwriter NicolePerlman.

For the sequel, GunnandPerlmanpartedways. As a result, instead of disrupting the Marvel universe, GOTGV2leans into the heroics, sanding down the edges of the outlaws.

Nearly every character gets a therapy session of sorts. The story revolves around Peter Quill's daddy issues.Gamoraand Nebula work out their sibling rivalry. Even MichaelRookerasYondu, the Ravager with the killermohawk, attempts to makeamends for the past.

You can almost feelGunnshuffling the story beats, trying to ensure every member gets a moment. But what Vol. 2 lacks is the effortless momentum that made the first film a giddy blast.

The engine therewas the threat posed byRonan, the madKreeleader. Now we trade him for a race of genetically-engineered Space Yuppies named the Sovereign who act as if life is a never-ending sorority mixer.

Saved by awrestler and trash panda

GOTGV2still containsmany of the same elements for fans of the first film to savour: the classicrawksoundtrack, a forest of "I amGroot" jokes andplanetary landscapes inspiredby RainbowBrite.

But the characters that workbest this time are thoseGunnleft alone. Rocket Raccoon remains a furball of rage and his voice is best thing Bradley Cooper has done in years. DaveBautista'skiller comic timing as thelunkheadDraxcontinues. And keep your eyes out for his new friend, Canadian PomKlementieffas Mantis, the empathic alien.

In the end, in place of originality,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2offers anentertaining senseof djvu. Worth watching while we wait for the inevitable Groot and Rocket spin-off.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5stars